Canada may boost SAR fleet with former US presidential helicopters

Canada is considering the economic viability of resurrecting a number of mothballed helicopters – originally destined to provide VVIP transportation for the US government – to augment its long-range search and rescue (SAR) fleet.
Ottawa acquired nine AgustaWestland AW101 airframes, spare parts and support equipment in 2011, following the cancellation by President Barack Obama of the US Navy's VH-71 Kestrel programme to replace the presidential transport fleet. AgustaWestland had teamed up with Lockheed Martin to build the Kestrels.
They have since been kept in storage, with the Royal Canadian Air Force using them for spare parts to support its fleet of AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant SAR aircraft.
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